CHAPTER VIII. 



ACCIDENTS— FRACTURED BONES, WOUNDS, 

 SPRAINS OF JOINTS AND TENDONS. 



IT will be well, before pursuing a study of this chapter, 

 to go over very carefully the chapter on Wounds in 

 Part II. 



I. — Fractured Bones. 

 Fractures occur in various ways, from the kick of a horse, 

 getting caught on a fence while jumping, falling, being 

 chased by dogs, or being struck with anything hard enough 

 to fracture a bone. As a rule, when the fracture is so bad 

 that the bone is shattered, or a piece of the bone penetrates 

 the skin, it is best to destroy the animal. If fat enough it 

 makes good beef, provided it is killed in time. 



1. Fracture of the Lower Jaw. 



This is a fracture that generally occurs from a kick or a 

 blow of some kind. It is first noticed by the animal not being 

 able to eat, and the mouth seeming crooked. It is recom- 

 mended in cases of this kind to set the jaw in place, and have 

 it held there with wire fastened around the teeth in the jaw. 

 This can be done better if it is the front of the jaw that is 

 fractured. Feed soft food, such as gruels, that the animal can 

 drink down. If fit to kill it is best, however, to butcher it. 



2. Broken Neck. 



To show how simple this may occur we relate a case that 

 came under our own personal observation. A cow that had 

 been kept in the stable during the winter and fed well was let 

 out one day by the owner, and she, feeling good, was playing 

 about when the dog was put after her. While running away 

 from the dog she kicked up her hind feet and lowered her 

 head. In doing this she caught her nose on the ground, which 

 threw her over onto her head and neck. We heard the bone 

 snap, and by the time we got to her she was dead. On 

 examining her we found that one of the bones of the neck 

 was broken in the fall, which caused her death instantly. In 



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